Electric switch



c. b. PLATT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Arhfcmon FILED mac n. 19 19.

Tia-.1.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

79 INVENTOR (Yam/16612 P/azz ATTORNEY cnaamrca 1). run. or zinznoaroacr,CONNECTICUT.

annc'riauc swzrda.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

A lications ra 44, 1am. Serial int-spams.

To all whome't may concern. i 1 Be it knownthat; I, CmnnxcuD. P1411, acitlzen of the United States of America,

* residing at Bridgeport, Connecticut have invented a new and usefulElectric hwitch, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to switches of the inclosed ty e.

Specia objects of the invention are to provide cilicient and at the sametime simple and inexpensive mechanism for securing the switch coverclosed and the switch -mecha nism in a predetermined condition, such asfor instance in the open-circuit position.

Certain switches of this type are usually provided with an upstandinglug projecting through the cover and adapted to receive a padlock orother fastening device. This up standing and projecting lug is a sourceof frequent trouble in. the packing and shippingof the switch,being'quitcoften broken or bent in the shipment of the switch andfurther necessitating the use of a shipping box of sullicient size notonly to take the. Switch box, but this An important object of thisinvention is to overcome and avoid these various objections anddisadvantages.

In the formof the invention herein disclosed the combined lock for theswitch cover and switch mechanism is provided by means of outstandingregistering loops on the cover flange and the operating lm die:respectively; adapted to receive a pmiloek or. other securing device andthe securin device for the cover is provided in-tln- {pm of an ustanding bar or lug which when m use pro ects above the cover but whichwhen not in use can be dropped down into the box in a non-projectingposition.

The various other features of the invention and details of constructionwill all ap pear as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing 1 have illustrated the invention embodied inone of its practical commercial forms but I would have it understoodthat modifications and changes may be made in the structure withoutdeparture from the 's irit and scope'of the invention as defined 1n theappended claims. y

In said drawingz Figure I, is a plan view of my switch,

projecting lug as well.

t showing the cover partlybroken away for the purpose of exposing theswitch mecha- Fig. '2; is a side elevation of the same with the endJortion of the switch box-broken away a! showndn section.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the plane ofthe line 4-4 of Fig. 2. h

Fig. 5, is a broken detail view illustrating a method of forming thelocking lug for the handle. i

The switch box, which is'designated 5, may be of any usual or suitableconstruction and is shown provided with a movable cover 6 hinged attheupper end of the box body at 7.

The switch mechanism illustrated consists of a switch base 8 secured inthe bottom of the box and sup orting a pair of switch blades 9 connectedby a bar 10 and pivoted at 11, said, switch blades being adapted ,tomake engagement with the relatively stationary switch contacts 12.

,The ,'ivitch mechanism is operated in the present disclosure by, anoscillating arm '13 connected at 14 with an arm 15 extending from thecross bar 10. This oscillating --.witrh operating arm has an angularlybent base portion 16 secured in flat engagement with a locking disk 27fastened tothe inner face of a bearing;' disk 17 which is rotatablyseated in a bearing opening 18 formed in the wall of the switch box.(See Fig. 4.)

External operating means areprovided for the switch in the form of ahandle 19 secured at. the outer face of the bearing disk 17. l

For the purpose of providing the lock between the cover and switch, thecover is shown provided with a laterally outstanding securing loop 20and the handle is shown provided with n corresponding 100 28 registeringwith the cover loop, these ibops being designed to receive like hasp 22of a padlock, or a sealing wire or other suitable securing device.

The cover loop is formed in the present disclosure by providing thecover with an an larly extending dependent flange 28 and by severing astrip at the edge said flange alon the line 24 and then deflecting saidpartia severed strip outwardly as indicated in igs. 2 and 3 into theform of d the loop 20. A co-extensive opening 25 is .w ich ls' formcdwith the box -ing disk- ;the bearing also shown formed in the flangeabove this loop strap so as to facilitate the passe of the h' of thepadlock through the cop.

The andle-carried loop is frovided in the case illustrated by means 0plate member 26. secured att e outer face of the beardisk, inside thehandle proper and 4 a bent-over and angulat-ly outstanding in 21 at itsupper en provided with a pc orhtion28 reignstering with the perforationin the ver loop. This perforation 28 in the handlecarried loop isprovided in the illustration b forming a slot in the end portion of thep to and thenbending out the lug121 on a transverse line 29 intersectint mediate portion of said slot, This, as shownin Figs. 2 an '3,coextensive adjacent portion of'the the entry of the padlo tingthepadlock to lie close against the side of the box. The handle-carriedmember 26 at the ,0 ter wall of the box and the lock- 7 at the innerwall of the box hold disk seated in the bearing opening, as clearlyshown in Fig. 4, and said parts may be secured assembled relation, asindicated,by means of rivets 30 assed through from the handle at theoutside of thebox to the o crating connection 16 at theinside of .theox.

The mechanism disclosed is intended to secure the cover closed and theswitch in the open-circuit position. Consequently, the arts are sodesigned" that when the hen e is thrown to the off-circuit position, theloop carried thereby will register with the loop upon the cover. In thisrelation ofjthe parts the 'adlock hasp, or other securin device, may;passed through the alined oops and the switch will be thereby secured inopen-circ'u cover closed.

rovides durations in the" ug and In this condition of the parts cannotbe opened and the switch cannotbe closed, except of course by oneiuthgrized, who gloulddlie rovided with a e or open e pa o'c 4 cans arefiso provided the box closed whileleaving the switch free to lieoperated, said means consisting of a locking plate onpost 31 projectingthrough a slot 82 in the cover and provided with a perforation 33 insuch projecting portion or receiving the, beep 34 of a'gpadlock or othersecuring e intersee Fig. 5).

late 26 facilitating hasp and permit-;

'bartobeused t position and the box in the switch construction hereindisclosed for securingdevice. To prevent this look mg lug or bar fromstanding in the way when the box is being packed for shipment, orstorage, I haveshown said bar as pivotally secured to the lowerwall ofthe box by means of a screw'35 which passes freely through aperforation'36 provided in said wall and engages at the inner box in ascrew seat formed in the bar. By loosening this screwit will be evidentthat when the cover is open this locking bar may be turneddowninside thebox as indicated in dotted lines i Fig. 3 so as not to project beyondthe edge of the box., The inner end of the screw 18 preferably headedover as indicated at 37 so that said screw cannot be detached or becomelost. To position and hold the lockin bar in its upright relation I haveshown t with spaced inwardly; directed indentations 38 formin spaced 5oulders to engage the opposite e es or shoulders on the bar. The shankof t e screw is made of suflicient le h between the inner surface of thesecuring bar and the head 3'] to permit the screw being unloosened farenough for the bar in its turningmovement to clear the holding shoulders38, provided on the box wall, as will be clear from Fig. 2. The securingbar is usually made of spring metal and provided'with shoulders 39 toenga over the top-of the box. This enables ti: as a latch. for fasteningthe cover when the padlock 34 is not in use.

In practice, when .the switch parts are assembled, the locking bar 31 isusually down into the heir into the dotted osition indicated at 31 sothat said bar oes not project and the switch can then be packed in asuitable shipping box of but-slightly greater size than the switch box.When the switch is to be used, the cover is opened and the locking baris turned up into its projecting position, whereu n the screw 35 may betightened and the bar will then-be securely held in its upstandingoperative relation. When the locking bar is in, use and the padlock 34has been applied to the outer extended end thereof, said bar cannot bereleased by manipulation of the screw 35 by reason of the fact that saidscrew cannot be withdrawn, hence the parts are securely held even thoughan attempt is made to gain admission to the box by manipulation of thescrew 35".

I claim side of said turned its 1. In an electric switch, thecombination with the outstanding loop on the flange of 1,seo,1s7 i a athe cover, to receive a securing device EIP gageable with the registerinr loops for securing the cover closed with t w switch mechaui'smin apredetermined condition.

2. In sin-electric sw tch, a'switch box pro vided with a movable coverhaving an angubox and an operating handle for said switch mechanismjournaled in the box and provided with an outstanding loop registeringwith said flange loop in a, predetermined position of the switch handle.

. 3. In an electric switch, the combination of a box provided with amovable cover having a dependent angular flange, said flange having a.strip at the edge thereof severed from the body of the flange and formedoutwardly into a loop, switch mechanism in the box and an operatinghandle for said switch mechanism journaled in the box and provided withan outstanding securing lo'op registering with said flange loop in apredetermined position of the operating handle.

4. In an electric switch, the combination of a switch box provided witha movable cover, said cover having an outstanding curing loop at oneside'of the box, switch mechanism in the box, an operating handle forsaid switch mechanism journaled in said wall of the box, and a platecarried by said handle at the outer 'surfaceof the box wall andsubstantially parallel thereto. said plate having an angularlyprojecting loop registeringwith the loop on the cover in a predetermined position of the handle.

5. In an electric switch, .the combination of a switch box having amovable cover provided with an outstanding securing loop, switchmechanism in said box. an operating handle for said switch mechanismjour'nal d in the wall of the box and provided with a plate at the outerface of said wall, said plate havinga slot therein and being bentangular-1y at a point intermediate the ends of said slot to provide anangularly outstanding lug having a perforation therein (:0- extensivewith a perforation in the adjacent portion of the plate and saidperforated lug iegistering'with the securing loop on the cover in apredetermined position of the handle.

6. In an electric switch, the combination of a switch box provided witha movable cover having a securing loop, said switch box having a bearingopening in one wall thereof, a bearing disk journaled in said opening,switch mechanism in the box, a switch operating connection secured tosaid bear-- ing disk inside the box, and a handle mem' ber secured tothe bearing disk at theouter surface of the switch box, said handlememher having a portion overlying the adja e5 cent-side wall of theswitch box and terminatingin an angularly outstanding pi-rforated lugregistering with the cover loop in aprcdetermincd position of thehandle.

7. In an electric switch. a switch box pro- ,vided with a movable cover,an upstanding cover securing member pivotally secured on the wall of theswitch'box so that it may,' he swung u into position to secure the coveror be folded down into non-projecting po- 5 sition within the box, andmeans for securing said cover securing member in the upstandingoperative position.

,8. In combination, a switch box provided with a movable cover having aslot thereixm a securing bar supported on one wall of the switch box andarranged to project up through said slot in the cover, and means for.fastening sa idsecuring bar in upstandin'g operative position or Innon-projecting 55 position within the switch box.

'9. In con'ibination, a switch box provided with a movable cover, acover securing bar pivotally supported on one wall of the box andadapted to be swung on its pivotal sup- 99 port from a non-projectingposition within the box up into a projecting position for co- 0 rationwith the cover, and cooperating slii iulders on the securing bar and boxwall for holding the securing bar in its operative projecting position.

10. In combination, a switch box provided with a movable cover, asecuring bar, a screw member pivotally supporting said securing baronone wall of the box and adapted when 100 loosened to permit the securingbar to be swung from an upstanding' operative position down into a nonprojecting position within the box, said screw member being headed overat its inner end to prevent en- 19% tire detachment of the same,cotiperati shoulders on the securing bar and box we I for holding thesecuring bar in its upstanding position, and said securing screw beingof sulficient length to enable the screw being loosened far enough forthe securing bar to clear said shoulders-in the move ent of the bar fromprojecting to non-projecting posi-, tion.

11. In combination, a switch box provided 116. with 'a movable cover,said box having spaced positioning shoulders on the inner wall thereof,a. cover securing bar adapted to be positioned between said shoulders,and a pivotal support for said securing bar 124'; adapted to enable thesecuring bar'being swung from an u standing position between thepositioning s oulders down into a nonprojecting position within the box.

12. In combination, a switch box compris- 1'1. ing a body member and acover member, a securing bar carried by one of saidmembers and arrangedin a. projecting position to coediiijthe Switch box it dpemte,witl-ftlie other member, 'and xneans for supporting said securing barso that the segnefiha be shifted frem a. non-projecting inoperat eposition tee, pmjectmg opera- .tive I A 18. In comb" etion; a switch boxprovided position.

with. a movsbleeqver, a securing bar mountend adapted to project upbeyond the .cover,'seid her having a perforation in the projecting?portion thereof to 1p receive a padlock or the i e, and means forsupporting said securing bar within the box 90 that the same may belowered into an inoperative non-projecting position within the box or beshifted into an upstanding 15 0 retive position with the perforationabove the cover. LARENCE D. PLATT'.

t erein stand in

